


It’s funny how the walk of life can take you down without a fight

by killhimwithyourawesome



Series: I'm coming Home [1]
Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Teenagers, Angst, Hospitals, M/M, Mentions of Violence, Multi, Teenagers, Tony and Clint are Bros, awww they're in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-28
Updated: 2012-03-28
Packaged: 2017-11-02 15:56:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/370765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/killhimwithyourawesome/pseuds/killhimwithyourawesome
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was just a freak accident, he was told, but it didn't look that way to Phil. The way Clint looked, pale with wires and tubes and machines that beeped ominously at him screamed 'planned attack' more than freak accident. </p>
<p>At least Clint was alive</p>
            </blockquote>





	It’s funny how the walk of life can take you down without a fight

**Author's Note:**

> Yet another Teen Verse fic. I know I know. shhhh.   
> Title comes from Shannon Labrie's Call Me Home

It was just a freak accident, he was told, but it didn't look that way to Phil. The way Clint looked, pale with wires and tubes and machines that beeped ominously at him screamed 'planned attack' more than freak accident. 

At least Clint was alive, Phil counted that as a blessing; he also counted Clint being awake one. Hell, he'd even count Clint refusing to keep the oxygen mask on as one, because it just showed that Clint was still Clint in all his lovable, stubborn glory. 

Tony being there was a surprise, but Phil had been told the two had grown close since Tony offered Clint a place to stay. Tony himself had a couple of bruises on his face, his left leg propped up on a stool wrapped in a thick bandage. 

Phil felt a bit odd just standing in the door watching the two bicker - 

"Put the damn mask on."

"No."

"Do you want to stop breathing?"

A whine. "But its uncomfortable!" - but it still took him a minute to knock on the door frame to alert them to his presence. Tony had called him anyways, so he shouldn't mind being interrupted. 

The look Clint gave him made it worth it anyways. 

"Took you long enough," Tony teased, but Phil could easily see the tension in the boy's body ease. Phil just shrugged, walking to the other side of the bed and pulling up a seat. 

"No need to worry Tony, I'm here now," he replied, one of his hands instantly being snagged by Clint's, not like he had any complaints. Tony shifted a little in the chair, looking away. Clint took the opportunity to tug at Phil until the older man gave in and kissed him softly.

"You scared the shit out of me I hope you know," Phil whispered in his ear.

"Yeah… Sorry 'bout that," Clint's voice was scratchy, betraying his true state under that confident smirk and tough-as-nail's facade. He had his walls and mask up; Phil was caught between hurt and worry by this. Hurt that Clint was to afraid to show fill how he felt, but also worried he was afraid to. They had come so far, Phil had watched Clint remove the masks, take a sludge hammer to the walls and now they were back with full force. 

A coughing fit brought Phil out of his thoughts, and he raised the mask to Clint's face despite the whine of protest.

"Rest, you need it." He said, running his thumb over Clint's hand in the only show of affection he could will himself to do.

He supposed he had no right to be angry with Clint, when he couldn't let his walls down now either. He had been honest when he said he was scared, but it was an understatement. Tony's voice had been too tight, the nurse too frantic, and when all the doctor could tell him was "Freak accident" with shifty eyes and twitchy hand Clint had almost gone through the roof. Still, he kept his calm, cool and panicless Phil Coulson mask in place, because that was all he knew to do to handle these things.   
Clint smiled at him, a weak but genuine smile and squeezed his hand.

"F-Fine. But only caused you asked so nicely." he murmured, before closing his eyes and falling asleep in the blink of an eye. Phil watched him sleep for a few minutes before turning to Tony, meeting the other's steady blue gaze.

"So, what exactly happened?"

——

Tony himself hadn't been exactly sure what all went down. They had been at Tony's in the make-Shift archery field Tony and Clint had made. Tony hadn't really been paying to much attention to much more than the bow and the upgrades he could give it when Clint had froze up. Tony had made to ask when he saw a few guys heading toward them Tony knew didn't work for him. 

"Run," Clint had said, and so they did. Tony didn't like running, but he knew for a fact that Clint didn't run from a fight he could win, so he ran. After that it was a blur of pain and Clint screaming in pain.

"They were there for him," Tony hissed, looking at Clint's face with unmasked anger. "They called him…" he looked back at Phil. "This may sound odd, because I'm not exactly known as the guy to give a shit about people, but I do. I give a fuck about Clint, and I will find the shits that did this and make sure they pay." Tony slumped in the chair, rubbing at his forehead. "If anything I can tell Cling I did it because the broke my leg in three places right?" 

Phil winced, but not visibly. "That'll take a while to heal."

Tony shrugged. "It'll heal. I'm not sure all of Clint's injuries will." and Phil knew he didn't mean the physical things. 

——

"So what did he tell you?" Clint insisted when he woke up. His voice sounded better, Phil noticed, and his breathing a little easier since the doctor had kicked Tony and him out earlier. Steve and Loki - another unusual friendship Phil noted - had come to pick Tony up, who refused to leave until Phil promised he wouldn't leave Clint's side unless forced until Tony got back. It was easy to give, and Steve thanked him profusely when they left. 

"That you were attacked," Phil watched his face carefully. "That they were there for you." 

Clint looked up at the ceiling like it held the secrets of the universe.

"I hate hospitals," he finally said after a moment, and Phil just raised an eyebrow in response. "Horrible things happen in them. My ma died in a hospital. They told us she would live, but they lied." he shifted, not taking his eyes off the ceiling. "Barney and I, we'd lay on the bed with her and throw coins at the ceiling to see who could do it the most. The nurses never stopped us, guess they assumed we'd be without our ma soon enough, why not just let us have our fun." 

It clicked then what Clint was doing. He was letting Phil in, letting his walls down. Phil Suppressed the smile and let him continue. 

"Pa was, well, he drank a lot. Hit us a lot." despite the words, a small fond smile formed on Clint's lips. "Started archery then, because it was something to loose myself in. I had… A lot to let out ya know? Well, after pa we were orphans, Barney and I. So we went to the Circus, cause brother refused to go to any orphanage. They took us in because we were useful…" he squeezed Phil's hand. "You'd be amazed the amount of money someone would pay to watch a kid who never misses…" 

Clint stopped there, but he really didn't need to continue. Those men were from the Circus, they had come to teach Clint a lesson. Phil had seen the bruises on Clint that he claimed were from other things, things that could not have possibly caused those bruises…

Phil kissed his forehead. "I promise Clint, they'll get what they deserve. I'll keep you safe, all of your friends and me." 

Clint smiled, a great sunny smile. "My family, you mean?"

If Phil Coulson didn't know any better, he would have sworn his heart gave out at that. God, did he love this kid.


End file.
